the mystery of the banished queen
by artistwithpenandpaint
Summary: everyone who has seen avatar knows the story. Zuko's mom was thought to be dead before the firelord revealed her to be only banished. in the new series "the legend of Korra" Katara is about to tell the story when her young granddaughter interrupts with her energetic questions. impatient for the tale, i am writing my own version of the popular legend! enjoy!
1. A trip to the dungeons

Zuko finished his speech and waited as the crowd cheered. _Its over_ he thought or the millionth time, almost unable to believe it, _the four nations are free once again_. When he ceremony was over he went to his room. Mai stood there, her long black dress flowing beautifully to the floor.

"is it really over Mai?" Zuko asked.

Mai nodded and smiled as she only did for Zuko. They hugged, enjoying being together again after so long.

Mai broke away first. "i need to go speak to my father about the current condition of the prisons. Are you gonna be okay without me?"

Zuko grinned, "i don't know," he teased "it's pretty scary out there" as if on cue, Aang popped up outside the window. Zuko scowled but Mai just laughed at the young mans antics.

This seemed to scar Aang. "she's smiling!" he exclaimed.

Zuko sent some sparks at him, sending him running the other direction. Mai went to talk to her father and Zuko sat on his bed to think. many things still troubled him, despite the end of the hundred year war. His father, as well as Azula, was in the jail below the city, The capital city was to be started immediately, and... his mother was alive.

Zuko pulled on a cloak and headed down to the jail cells. Azula sat in her cell quietly and calmly. All trace of her insanity was gone.

"hello Zuzu." she said as he emerged from the shadows. " and what would bring our new fire lord to my humble abode?" she looked around herself as if she sat in a small house rather than a prison cell then she fixed her gaze on Zuko "so what do you want Zuzu as you can see I'm very busy, and if this is because you want me back i would never return to sit next to a traitor like you. oh, but i don't think that's why you're here, you proved your dislike of me in our last Agni-kai. so what is it? are you lonely?" her tone changed to one of teasing and then back to her normal evil drawl "it's information, isn't it? you want to know something that only i know. well, ask away brother! it's not like i would tell you, but now I'm curious."

"where is my mother?" Zuko asked.

"_you're_ mother?" she asked in feigned hurt "last time i checked she was _my _mother also!"

"where is she?" Zuko snarled, losing his patience.

"where do you think?" she asked with an evil smile on her face 'you were there for the burial, yes?"

Zuko waited a second before saying "she's not dead."

this seemed to catch Azula off guard 'of course she's dead!" she said irritably "why wouldn't she be?"

Zuko smiled at the irony "you didn't know either, did you?" he asked and then walked away.

Azula's screams for information followed him down the hall. Zuko ignored them and kept walking towards the one person who would know the truth about his mother.

the once great Ozai lay pathetically on the floor, his short cropped hair no longer covered his face but you could already see how two weeks in prison had changed him. he no longer looked like a king, he looked like something you would scrape off your shoe.

"i should count myself lucky," Ozai said "the new firelord has graced me with his presence in my lonely prison cell."  
it surprised Zuko how similar the greetings between Azula and Ozai were. Azula truly was her father's daughter.  
"what do you want?" Ozai snarled impatiently.

Zuko didn't hesitate but walked forward, towering over his father. "i want you to answer my question." Zuko replied "where is my mother?"

Ozai looked Zuko in the eye, "i don't know."

Zuko glared at his father "what do you mean you don't know?" he asked, unsure who to ask next, or if there was even someone else to ask.

Ozai sat up, "i don't know." he said again. "i banished her, how should i know where she went?"

Zuko growled in frustration "you have to know something!" he yelled.

Ozai smiled tauntingly "it really kills you doesn't it?" he asked "to have your mother alive, and yet you will never see her again."

Zuko balled his fists "don't patronize me!" he yelled his hands glowing with the fire he so desperately wanted to release.

Ozai stared at him, silently daring Zuko to release it. silence fell and they stood in tense anticipation of Zuko's choice.

Zuko unballed his fists and let the fire die. he took a steadying breath and walked away.

"you're as much a coward as she was." Ozai said as he reached the door.

Zuko stopped, but didn't look back.

"i must be very brave then." he said, and walked out, leaving an angry Ozai to rot in his cell.


	2. Mai's turn

Zuko sighed, what now? he had asked his uncle, the priests at the avatars temple, even Mai's father! he didn't know what else to try!

that night he sighed as he fell into bed.

Mai looked at him with concern on her face, "whats wrong?" she asked

Zuko looked at her, "it's nothing," he said "just go back to sleep."

Mai glared at him, rolled over and turned on the light. "what is it?" she asked more forcefully. "we had a deal when we got married; no secrets."

Zuko sighed and sat up. "alright," he said grudgingly "i went to see Azula and my father."

"_you did what?_" Mai demanded.

"see, this is why i didn't tell you!" whined Zuko "i had to ask them something"

"what?" Mai asked irritably "what was so important that you couldn't ask anyone else?"

"my mother!" he almost yelled. Mai fell silent. "when i left my father on the day of black sun, he told me that my mother was alive. i had to find out where she was!"

Mai took a deep breath. "did you?" she asked.

Zuko glared at the ground. "no." he said "my father didn't know or wouldn't tell and Azula was just as dumbfounded as i had been."

he sighed again. "can we talk about this in the morning?" he asked "I'm tired."

with that he layed down and pretended to go to sleep as Mai turned off the light.

he lay there a long time, thinking. the only information he had gathered was that she _might _be alive, provided plague, hunger, or other unthinkable fates had not killed her. _if only i could know for sure!_ he thought _then i would be able to sleep better_.

* * *

the next day passed in a blur. with the plans for the new city, and the ceremonies to be held for the avatar and his friends, there was hardly time to think, let alone search for his mother. Zuko signed papers and granted building rights. he promoted people and demoted people. he even sent messages to all the four nations including kyoshi island. he was glad he married Mai privately or the planning would have been horrendous! after twelve long hours of work he fell into bed exhausted. Mai rolled over to look at him.

"hi, hun," he said sleepily "how was your day?"

Mai sighed. "boring as ever," she said "though i got to hang out with Aang and his friends today!"

"how's your father?" he asked through a yawn his eyes closed

"he's fine." she replied "the jail's are get..."

but zuko was already asleep

* * *

(Mai's POV)

Mai stopped talking when she realized her husband was asleep. she smiled and kissed him on the cheek befpre slowly and carefully moving out from under the covers.

the hallway was deserted as Mai expected. it was two AM and no one in their right mind would be up without a good reason.

Mai walked swiftly and silently, navigating the hallways with the ease of someone who had walked them often.  
when she reached the stairs leading downward, Mai grabbed a torch from the wall and lit it. the fire cast long shadows on the solemn stone walls.

a rat scuttled by as Mai started down the winding stair. the first cell she came to was empty, and the one after it, and for three full hallways. Zuko and Mai had made sure to set free prisoners whose only crime was to annoy the previous firelord.

as she reached the fifth hallway the cell began to have occupants. some of them were silent, apparantly sleeping. one reached outward and tried to grab Mai's skirts. she smacked the hand aside without even looking at it.

at the end of the hallway was a door and a warning plaque that read **"HIGH SECURITY"**  
she opened the door and strode in without a second thought.

the guard on duty pointed a sword at her and ordered her to state her name and business.

"would you like to end up in one of these cells commander?" she drawled, her tone threatening.

he promptly dropped to his knee's apologizing profusely.

"get up, commander." she ordered and moved past him, too focused on her mission to care.

when she reached the cell she wanted, she stopped. pulling the hood of her cape up to hide her face she waited a moment. the name plate on the cell read, "azula"


End file.
